Watch-case



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. SEARING.

WATCH GASE- No. 450,637. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

lalllllll' \E h-IEE 4 WITNESSES;

A4; ATTORNEY-Y.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. RSEARING.

WATCH CASE.

No. 450,637. Patented Apr. 21,1891.

Ill/III! Z QUOTA/W134 UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JAMES E. SEARING, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEXV YORK.

WATCH-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,637, dated. April 21, 1891. Application filed December 4, 1890. Serial 110.373.583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs E. SEAnINe, of Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vatch- Cases; andl do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates particularly to improvements in hunting-case watches; and it has for its object to produce a case that will present an outward form and appearance similar to that of an ordinary case, and yet be so contrived as to effect a material reduction in its cost of manufacture, both by saving of precious metal and a saving in the labor required to produce it.

In carrying out my invention I preferably form the portion corresponding to the back lid and the portion corresponding to the ordinary center in one continuous piece, and to the shell thus formed I hinge what I term a blind center, which carries the movement, and to which the front lid is in turn hinged. This blind center is preferably provided with snaps or risers for the front lid and also for the glass-bezel and with a seat for the movement. That portion of it to which the front lid is hinged is preferably formed into a flange, which, when the case is closed, forms a close joint with the front lid on the one hand and with the center portion of the main case-shell on the other hand, and yet, when so closed, appears to be a portion of the front lid, as in an ordinary hunting-case. It is only necessary that the front surface of the blind center and so much of the flange thereof as is exposed to View when the case is closed should be made of precious metal applied by well-known methods, the body of the blind center, which, when the case is closed,is entirely covered by the main shell, being made of baser metal. The movement contained within the blind center may be of any usual construction; butI prefer that it should be a stem-winding pendant-set movement,to which end the winding-pinionis so positioned relative to the winding-arbor in the pendant connected to the main shell as that proper connection and disconnection of the two shall be made when the blind center carrying the movement is closed or swung open. springs are contained within the blind center and may be of any well-known construction; but for cheapness preferably employ springs formed of flat sheet metal secured by screws passed through the periphery of the blind center, as hereinafter explained.

In Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings I have shown one of the many embodiments of which my invention is susceptible, 1 representing an edge view of my case modeled after the case known as the J urgensen pattern. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blind center carrying the movement swung outward, and also showing the front .lid opened. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the front lid closed; Fig. 4:, a longitudinal sectional view of the case closed. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the blind center, showing the case-springs. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the casesprings detached. Fig. 7 shows a modification in which the blind center and the front lid are hinged at the same side of the watch instead of at opposite sides, as in the preceding figures. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of Fig. Al.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, in-

The caseelusive, A represents the shell proper, consisting of the back-lid portion a and the center portion a, struck up from a single piece of sheet metal. B is the blind center, provided with the flange I), which is hinged to the main shell A at b. The front lid (J is hinged at c to the flange Z). The blind center B is provided also with the snap or riser b for the co-operation of the front lid, with the snap or riser b for co-operation with the glass-bezel D, and with the movement-seat b". Those portions of the blind center which are exposed to View when the case is closed or when the front lid is opened-that is to say, those portions that are included between the point marked a: and the point marked 00' in Fig. 4tare by well-known processes formed of precious metal, while the body of the blind centerthat is, all that portion between m and E, and the case-springs by the letters F F. The said springs F F are preferably formed from flat sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 6, and secured in place by means of screws f passed radially through the periphery of the blind center, as shown in Fig. 5. This method of securing the springs, instead of by a screw or screws passed through the front of the blind center between the lid-riser and the bezelriser, as usual, leaves the front or flat of the center entirely free from disfigurement.

G represents the pendant secured to the main shell of the case, and II the winding-bar.

To open the front lid to expose the dial, it is only necessary to press upon the crown II to operate the catch-spring F and permit the fly-spring F to throw the front lid open, as in the ordinary hunting-case, and when it is desired to open the case for the purpose of examining the movement'it is only necessary to draw upon the crown,so as to disengage the winding-arbor from the winding-pinion, whereupon the blind center and movement and front lid can together be swung out of the main shell A on its hinge b.

In the modification shown. in Fig. 7 the blind center and front lid are hinged at the same side of the watch; but in other respects the construction shown in the other figures is substantially followed.

By my method of construction I am enabled to produce a hunting-case of the same strength and lasting qualities as one in which a great deal more precious metal is employed, for I am enabled not only to dispense with a movement-cap, but also with precious metal at the back of the center. Of course where a movement-cap should be desired it would be easily sprung onto the back of the blindcenter by providing a riser upon the latter and jointing in the usual way, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination, with a main integral shell constituting the back lid and center portion, of a blind center fitting within said main shell and carrying the front lid, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a main integral shell constituting the back lid and center portion, of a blind center hinged to said main shell and carrying the front lid, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with a main shell such as described, of a blind center hinged to said main shell and a front lid hinged in turn to said blind center, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a main shell such as described and a blind center provided with a seat for the movement and with snaps or risers for the front lid and glass-bezel, witha hinged to said flange, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a main shell such as described, a flanged blind center having its body of base metal and provided with a movement-seat and having its flange portion and its face formed of precious metal, and a front lid hinged to said blind center, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the main shell such as described, a blind center provided with a movement-seat, a peripheral flange, and with snaps or risers, and a frontlid hinged to said blind center, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the main shell such as described, a blind center hinged to said shell and provided with a movement-seat, a peripheral flange, and with snaps or risers, and a front lid hinged to said blind center, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the main shellsuch as described,the flanged blind center hinged to said main shell and carryinga stem-winding movement, a front lid hinged to said blind center, and a stem-winding arbor adapted to be engaged with or disengaged from the said stem-winding movement, substantially as described.

ll. The combination of a main shell such as described, a flanged blind center hinged thereto carrying the case-springs, the front lid hinged to the blind center, and the crown and arbor for actuating the catch-spring, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a main shell such as described, the flanged blind center hinged thereto, and the case-springs carried by said blind center and connected to the latter by screws passing radially through the body of said blind center, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a main shell such as described, the blind center hinged thereto, the case-springs formed of flat sheet metal, and the screws passed radially through the blind center for securing said case-springs,

substantially as described.

JAMES E. SEARING.

Witnesses:

ALEX. S. STEUART, MnLviLLn CHURCH. 

